Amazon Fire HD 8 Specs, Prices, Availability & Everything Else

After a gap of almost a couple of years, Amazon refreshed its middle-child, the Fire HD 8 tablet, for 2020 with some significant changes. Following the footsteps of the Fire HD 10, the new 8-inch tablet makes some major improvements to its design and internals for a slightly better experience. But that package has now become a bit costlier.

Here is every single detail about the new budget Fire tablet that you might want to know. The information includes its detailed specifications, a brief features overview, along with its pricing and availability details.

Read: Best Budget Tablets Under $200 | 2020 Edition

Highlights

• 8-inch HD screen
• 2GHz quad-core processor
• 2GB RAM, Up to 64GB storage
• MicroSD card up to 1TB
• USB Type-C, headphone jack
• 12-hour battery life
• Game Mode, hands-free Alexa
• Two cameras

Amazon Fire HD 8: The Basics

The brand-new Amazon tablet is shedding its predominantly vertical orientation for a more Fire HD 10-like horizontal view that is better suited for content watching. Don’t get me wrong here, you can still use the Fire HD 8 vertically, but the redesign changes what its primary position is meant to be. The bezels now have the same thickness all around, while the back has got a slight curvature to give you a better grip. The sad part here is that Amazon hasn’t upgraded the display itself. It’s still the mediocre 8-inch HD panel, which won’t amaze you but will still be enough for basic use.

What’s changed in the new tablet is the processor, which is now clocked at 2GHz for a 30-percent improvement in performance. In addition to this, the storage options have also doubled to 32GB and 64GB that you can expand further by up to 1TB. The RAM remains 2GB across all storage variants. As for the operating system, Amazon will ship the tablet running a newer version of Fire OS based on Android Pie. The Fire HD 8 now comes preloaded with a gaming mode, which helps optimize the gaming performance, along with hands-free Alexa for using the device as an Alexa-enabled smart screen.

Read: The Best Tablets For Reading | 2020 Edition

Amazon claims that its newest offering can last for about 12 hours on a single charge. The Fire HD 8 now charges using a USB-C port and also supports wired headphones, thanks to its 3.5mm audio jack. For video calling and taking pictures using your tablet, the company has included a pair of 2MP cameras, one each on the front and back, that can shoot HD videos. In terms of connectivity, you’re getting dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth — the very standard stuff. If you like having a colorful slate in your hand, then the Fire HD 8 could be the device for you since it comes in a couple of tasteful shades of blue and red in addition to black and white.

Full Specifications

Read: The Best Cheap Tablets Under $100 | 2020 Edition

Pricing & Availability

Along with all these upgrades over the previous model, the Fire HD 8 has also got a new price tag. The tablet now costs about $10 more than the 2018 option and starts at $90 for the base 32GB storage. For the 64GB storage variant, you’ll have to shell out $120. If you wish to get rid of lock screen ads, then you can pay $15 more.

Since this price rise might be disappointing for many potential buyers, Amazon is running an offer for a limited time, in which it’ll strike off $20 if you buy two units together, essentially bringing down the price to the 2018 level. You can pre-order any of these options right away from Amazon in the US, and your orders will ship starting June 3.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Alternatives

Even with the new increased price, it’s hard to find a better alternative to the Fire HD 8; your best options are still the other Amazon tablets. If you’re okay spending a little more, then go ahead and pick up the new Fire HD 8 Plus, which adds wireless charging, and other features, on top of what you’re getting with the non-Plus model. You can also consider getting the bigger 10-inch Fire tablet (review) in case the 8-inch size doesn’t quite suit you. It’s just a better device overall. If your purpose is to save some cash, then select the even cheaper Fire 7 (review) for around $50.

All other options require you to pay a higher price than these Fire slates. Such as this Lenovo Tab M8 (review), which turned out to be a fine product for its price range in our review. Else, you can go for the all-new Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4, which is a tad expensive but is a much better device for daily use. If you’re considering getting an Apple tablet, then look no further than the budget iPad 7 (review) that sometimes costs as low as $250.

Read: These Are The Best Amazon Fire Tablets | 2020 Edition

Amazon Fire HD 8

While at its core, the Fire HD 8 is still the same budget Amazon tablet carrying a familiar design and a fairly limited operating system, the 2020 model has arrived with a bunch of big changes. From the use of the USB-C port to a new gaming mode, many aspects of the tablet have undergone a redesign, not just its exterior. It offers you more storage space this time around, which you can further expand. All in all, it appears to be a great cheap device for families with young children.

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